Improvement in signal-lanterns



H. E. POND.

Q2125;SIGNAL-LANTERN. No'.188,6 7I, Patented March 20,1877.

Wb'lnesses. Inventor. (7 W0 M 17. Ward. M, w w flay.

NPETERS, FHOTOiITHDGRAPHEH. WASHINGTON. D. Q

UNITED HENRY E. PoND, or FRANKLIN, MASSACHUSETTS.

rMP Rov'EMENT IN Sl GNAL-LANTERNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 188,671, dated March20, 1877 application filed November 14,1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY E. POND, ofFranklin, Norfolk county,Massachusetts, have invented certainImprovements in Railway Hand-Lanterns, of which the following is aspecification:

These improvements relate to hand-lanterns for railway-service, for useas signal-lights, or for ordinary illuminating purposes; and consists inthe introduction of several features of novelty and utility, ashereinafter explained.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent, in Figure 1, afront view, in Fig. 2 a side view, and in Fig. 3 a vertical section, ofa lantern containing my improve ments.

In these drawings, A represents the base and lamp of a kerosene-lantern;B, the burner thereof; 0, the chimney of such burner; E, the adjustablecap or support for maintaining the chimney in an erect position, and Fthe air-tube which surrounds the chimney, and connects with the latterand the base of the burner, such elementary features of a lantern beingthe same as now generally in use.

In carrying out my improvements, I surround the lamp burner and chimneywith a hood, G, which is open at one side only, as

shown at H, and this open side, when an ordinary lantern is desired, isto be covered or inolosed by a window of plain glass or mica; and when asignal is to be displayed, the plain window is to be replaced by acolored one of any character. For this reason I provide several windowsof different colors, any one of which maybe secured to the lantern. Oneof these windows is shown at I in the drawings as composed of an annularframe, J, inclosing a transparent pane, K, the frame being provided withhooks a a to take into eyes I) b, secured to opposite sides of the hood,by which means the window may be readily applied and removed.

Upon each side of the hood G, and at its rear part, I affix another pairof eyes, 0 c, to receive the hooks of the window-frame, by which means Iam enabled to carry with the lantern two windows-a plain and a coloredone; and when one is in use in front of the hood, the other is stowedaway at the back, the two being interchangeable and always at hand.

The rear of the hood constitutes a reflector, L, to direct the rays oflight forward through the window, while the sides of the hood, which areor may be reflecting-surfaces, serve to prevent lateral spreading andloss of rays of light, and throw them forward through the.

window, with very beneficial results. In order to readily polish thereflector L, or to renew it in case of breakage or injury, I apply it ina removable manner-that is to say, I place it within a frame orcap-plate, M, and I secure this cap-plate about an opening, N, in therear of the hood by means of books and eyes (1 d, which enable theremoval of the reflector to be easily and expeditiously effected.

In order to collect and discharge the rays of light from the inflamedwick in the most elfective manner, I increase the height of the burneror of the wick-tube of the latter with respect to the center of thereflector, as shown in the drawings-that is to say, so that the bulk ofthe flame shall stand about on a level with or slightly above suchcenter, as I find this relative position of the parts to impart thegreatest amount of light.

It will be seen that the hood G is independent of the remainder of thelantern, and confined to the latter by suitable latches or clasps a a.By removing the hood an ordinary lantern is left.

To produce a cheap as well as eifective colored window-pane, I employtwo sheets of gelatine, of any desired color-red, for instanceplacedtogether, with a piece of tarla tan or crape of the same colorinterposed between them, a thin solution of gum-arabic or othertransparent gum being laid upon their inner surfaces to cause them toadhere, and the whole being subjected to suitable pressure.

The outer surfaces of the pane thus made are subsequently varnished toprotect against moisture.

I claim 1. In hand-lanterns containing the lamp, draft-tube, andadjustable chimney-support, substantially as described, the hood G,surrounding the burner and chimney, essentially as and for purposesstated.

2. In combination with the hood G, the adjustable window or windows I,substantially as and for purposes stated.

3. The combination, with the lantern proper, of the removable hood G andone or more windows detachably connected with the hood, so that onewindow may be removed and replaced by another, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

4. The combination, with the lantern proper and the hood G, of thereflector L, applied to and removable from the deflector, substantiallyas set forth.

5. A window-pane for hand'lanterns, constructed as follows: consistingof the two sheets of gelatine with the interposed material, cementedtogether and varnished, essentially as and for purposes described.

HENRY E. POND. Witnesses:

Tnoms SPENOE, FRANK D. POND.

